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DC Recon
Log Title: DC Recon Characters: *Astrid * BAT MkII v.3.2 *Sneak-Peek * Interrogator *Lowdown *Lt. Norris *Sasha *Televiper 5201 *Viper 4991 *Zartan Location: Washington, DC - North America Date: May 17, 2017 TP: America Burning TP Summary: G.I. Joe travel to Washington, DC, to size up the Cobra occupation. Category:2017 Category:Logs Category:America Burning TP As logged by Sneak-Peek - Wednesday, May 17, 2017, 7:02 PM Washington, DC - North America :The capitol of the United States. The historical areas are kept beautifully clean and free of crime. There's lots of parks and green lawns... until you get to the city proper. Angel has defected, and has brought with him valuable information -- the BATs occupying the United States are controlled from within the White House, by Doctor Mindbender. Now that the Joes have an objective, they've been sent back into DC to reconnoiter prior to a full attack or infiltration. How the Joes decide to handle the situation depends on what they bring back from this mission. To that end they sent in a small team consisting of a recon specialist, a sharpshooter, and a counter-intelligence agent. Throughout the city, Battle Android Troopers stand at street corners, carefully observing all who venture out into the streets. Occasionally one will call out to someone, instructing them in its robotic, artificial voice. The Joes were in something of a world of hurt, overall. The nation's capital was not simply under siege, it seemed to be conquered territory. The sheer hit to the country's morale was enough on its own, without whatever vital intel still remained in the capital. Things had to change. It was in the G-cans that the GI Joe forces entered into Washington. The city was built on a swamp, as all historians know, and as such the city was desperate for proper drainage, hence the large storm drains that pocketed the city. Lt. Norris kept steadfast as he slogged through the boot high water, his flashlight lighting upon an access ladder. "Right." He stops at the ladder, and turns to the two veterans. "I'm sure with your..." He coughs a bit as he continues, "Elite combat training and such, that you're of a mind to get this started...We're at what was christened Alpha now. From what drone footage we manage to keep, despite the damnable Cobra scramblings, we're speculating that these so-called BAT patrols less frequently take to these streets. We make to ground, proceed to Pennsylvania Blvd, see what we can see. Exit One is the same way in, Two and Three involve getting shot at, so let's keep it to One." He shoulders his ruck, "Up we go." With that Lt Norris climbs up from the G-Cans to peek out of a manhole and then...to cover. Lowdown follows behind the Lt, with his CheyTac Intervention slung across his back. It's powerful, but probably won't do a whole lot against the BATs. That's why he's carrying the Steyr IWS 2000 in his hands. He seems to have no problem seeing the others in the darkness. He stops at the base of the access ladder with the others, nodding in response as Lt. Norris briefs them one last time on the plan. He nods in response, "After you, Sir." Once the officer has enough room above, he starts climbing after. Sneak-Peek is in his black and grey Night Force uniform, and is carrying a Tactical Surveillance Periscope as well as an M16A4 automatic assault rifle. Although he doesn't look like much of a soldier -- he's definitely not tall and built like many of the Joes -- he moves surprisingly quietly for someone carrying so much equipment. Although he follows Lt. Norris's orders to the letter, he seems to be following Lowdown's lead more in the field. He waits for the other two to clear the latter while he scans the G-cans below. Once they're both up and have found cover, he climbs up after them, keeping his breath quiet and shallow even as he struggles a bit carrying all of his gear. Interrogator is in the Rose Garden, which is his favorite place in the White House. It's hard to tell with his helmet on, but his body language suggests he is deep in thought. He sits on a bench and looks up at the sky. Viper 4991 has somehow managed to exceed the average life expectancy of the average Viper several times over, and so of course he's here today, patrolling around the grounds. They could've at least given him a partner to work with, but nah, apparently they decided that he'd do fine on his own. If the Joes attack, he's expected to, what, throw dice at them and hope he rolls a natural 20? Speaking of, he had to cancel a game tonight to be here for this. 1439 was gonna bring pizza, too... Sasha and Astrid are travelling through the city in style, in the back of an armored Mercedes limousine on the way to the White House. Sasha is in his civilian clothes -- fitted crewneck indigo sweater, cargo jeans, and well-worn black leather boots. As he reclines on the comfortable seats, Sasha enjoys a quiet drink with Astrid, enjoying this last bit of relaxation before the presumed pressure of joining Cobra Commander and his brass in Washington. As the limousine deftly navigates city traffic, the tinted bulletproof glass of the windows shield the two from the road noise and peering eyes of the outside world. As she sips a glass of whiskey, neat, as she prefers it, Astrid reads over numerous reports from various Cobra operations, occasionally pausing to look out the window of the car at the myriad of famous landmarks as they drive past them. She often thought such things as something of a boondoggle in the past, but after having seen many of them with her own eyes, she has since come to appreciate the stately, if archaic, beauty and sentiment of these wonders of marble and steel. The JOE team, with their intel operative, pushes aside the manhole cover, promptly slip into an alleyway, after sliding the manhole back into place. He quietly denotes the direction for the team to the northwest. With the roads being quieter, the sound of any vehicle on approach has been magnified immensely. A limo rolls on past, as Norris clings to the shadows, the veterans moving in tandem, even before he made the motion to freeze. They were good. That was fortunate. A Starbucks on Penn Ave was about as close as they were going to get to the White House.. or Snake Nest...whatever Cobra was bound to rename that icon of democracy to. The Lt. had prepped for this location, expecting the locked backdoor. He produced a key from his tactical pouch, unlocking the back entrance, then entered into the shop's back. Amazing how quickly Starbucks was to cooperate with the federal government when it was hinted that their building security management was bound to be of vital need to the liberation effort. From within, the crew could set up their base of operations. "Right then. You know the drill." He drops his satchel, withdrawing a tripod for the parabolic ear. Anything too high-tech was going to trip off COBRA's security detail. Those crack Televipers were always on top of their game. Meanwhile, Televiper 5201 sits cross legged in the break room, holding a sheet of paper. "Anyway guys, I rolled up a Barbarian this time. Heh...I'd like to see that dragon take on THIS guy. Heh..I mean, he's got a 15 CON!" The Alley Viper next to him, squints at him. "What dragon? You drank two entire bottles of acid and died." Televiper 5201 protests, "I thought the second one'd counteract the first!" Norris finishes setting up the listening device, "A bit fussy, but she'll do the job...Right, that's what he said." His attempt at humor passes in a single moment. Back to work. Sneak-Peek follows the others into the Starbucks. "Can one of you make me a venti white chocolate mocha with raspberry?" he jokes quietly, setting up his periscope. With it, he'll be able to watch and record the goings-on at the White House, ideally without being seen. Once he gets everything in place, he flashes Lowdown a smile and then signals Norris that his observation post is ready. SP then settles in for the long haul -- he's spend months, even years, in one hidey-hole or another. If all goes well, however, he won't be here nearly as long. Interrogator sighs and walks into the Oval Office. Since Cobra Commander has taken up residence, He no longer tries to sit behind the desk. The Crimson Guard prevent anyone from doing it, but Interrogator relishes the pictures he took of himself behind the desk. He ducks into a bathroom and changes into his civilian clothes. He's found that the other troops find him more relatable when he's out of uniform. A pedestrian near Farragut Square freezes in his tracks as a spotlight shone from a BAT lights him up. "Citizen!" comes the android's emotionless voice. "Curfew is eight o'clock p.m. You are in violation of curfew. Stay where you are." The android moves into the street toward the man. Viper 4991 is pulled out of his thoughts by the sound of the android calling someone out on violating curfew. Well, it probably /is/ just some dumb civilian who can't read a clock, but just in case, the Viper makes his way over with rifle in hand, ready to lend assistance if it turns out to be a Joe in disguise. "Alright, what's going on here? You people /know/ you're not supposed to be out past eight." he grunts at the pedestrian. Sasha cruises along in the limo, completely unaware of the Joes outside. As they pass the Starbucks, he frowns, unable to believe Americans waste so much money on such swill. As he spots a BAT and a Viper lighting up one of the civilians, however, he smiles. "Seems Cobra really does have this town in order. Maybe visiting the capitol won't be so bad after all." He sips his drink, looking over the edge of the glass at Astrid. Astrid looks up at Sasha from a report from Berlin on COBRA operations into redirecting paper trails from Bundespublik Bank to funding operations elsewhere in Europe. "I'm sorry? Oh...yes," taking another sip of whiskey. "Order this country needed long before COBRA took the reigns. Americans don't know what to do with their freedom...just look at who they voted to be their president." Lt. Norris barely makes the requisite scoff at Sneak-Peek before donning his headphones. "We're in for the long of it. I'll be back here, trying to tune in and record. keep to throatmics if you can...keeps the register down." He opens up his laptop, sitting behind the counter, out of sight, so he can operate from the shadows... Lowdown nods to the El-Tee and leaves him to his work. He kneels down beside Sneak-Peek, adjusting the baffles over his ears. What the others have brought their toys and tech along for, he spent years fine-tuning his own senses to do. Well...okay, maybe not hear long distances or periscopic vision. But his eyes and ears /are/ preternaturally sensitive. He speaks quietly to Sneak-Peek, "Heading up to the roof to provide overwatch." Interrogator returns to the Rose Garden and lights a Clove Cigarette. He knows he's been smoking more than he should, but there is a lot going on in the Moscow Underworld with the death of Serji. Then there's his latest plan for dealing with Dr. Mindbender and The Coil. It will be dangerous and he will need help, but he's waited too long to take more action than gathering intelligence on that organization. He takes a drag off the cigarette and goes pack to thinking. Sneak-Peek peers outside, and frowns as he sees Cobra confronting some poor out-of-place citizen. His instinct is to go protect the man, but the mission has to come first -- if Sneak-Peek blows their cover, the entire observation post will be compromised, and probably all three Joes will be killed. Still, it's hard for Sneak-Peek to just sit back and watch. He clenches his slightly-chubby fingers, eyes narrowing in the dark of the coffee shop. He starts slightly as Lowdown speaks quietly in the dark, but nods in response to let the sharpshooter know he's heard him and understands. The Battle Android Trooper pauses as the Viper approaches. It readies its stunner, the weapon attachment humming softly as it's powered up, but stands by, allowing the human troop to take command of the situation. Viper 4991 raises his rifle menacingly at the civilian, ignoring the BAT. He knows it won't attack him, it's not in its programming. "Look, you've got ten seconds to explain what you're doing out here, buddy. If you don't answer, I'm gonna have to assume you're a Joe and blow your head off, capiche?" Time to roll for Intimidate! Back in the limo, Sasha chuckles to Astrid. "I'm sure Cobra had a thing or two to do with America electing MacLeod as President -- he was certainly the Commander's first choice, and made it a lot easier to take over than if they'd had someone competent in office." He grins, draining the last of his glass. "With Cobra in control here, there might be a lot of room for upward mobility -- someone has to help the Commander run this country." He smiles, obviously having some idea who that might be. Astrid smirks. "Managing the population is easy so long as they're kept distracted and disorganized. COBRA has been doing a very good job of *that*, most certainly. If they would just realize that the 'freedom' of choice isn't really freedom at all but a terrible burden that they're generally unprepared for, given their lackluster system of education and poor critical thinking skills, they would more readily accept COBRA leadership instead of all of this senseless...and unnecessary...chaos. I just find it such a terrible waste...all these civilians worried about what little bit of individual freedom they believe themselves to have, when they could have something much better...like unity and a common purpose for the greater good." The pedestrian raises his hands and trembles. His jaw works but no sound comes out. His wide-eyed gaze goes from the Viper to the Viper's rifle to the BAT and back. "I -- I'm sorry!" he blurts at last. "Please don't kill me!" Clouds begin gathering as the sky gradually changes from muted gray to a deeper black, and the breeze becomes more cool than pleasant as the atmospheric pressure drops. Lowdown moves quickly and quietly up to the roof. He sets up the ridiculously large Steyr rifle, followed by his CheyTac, with practiced ease, all concealed beneath a canopy that blends with the color of the roof. While the anti-material rifle probably has enough building to hit the target behind the building across the street, the CheyTac has the better equipment. It's one of the few concessions he allows to his aversion to technology. As he settles in and sweeps the streets, he immediately settles on the potential altercation with the civilian. Lowdown considers the ramifications of breaking cover to save the civilian... It wouldn't be the first time he's he's allowed a casualty to ensure mission success. Interrogator notices the change in the weather and puts out the cigarette to go inside before it starts to rain. He walks through the Oval Office to the common room and pulls out a laptop. He opens it and waits for it to boot. In the dark of the coffee shop, Sneak-Peek huffs to himself. He barely makes any noise, but with the lieutenant in the back and Lowdown on the roof, he allows himself a moment of frustration at the necessary compromises of his job. He clenches his eyes closed for a moment, and struggles to calm himself. When he opens them again, however, he's focused. Sneak-Peek forces himself to ignore what's happening on the street, and instead devotes his attention to making sure his periscope is recording troop and security movements at the White House. Of course it's gonna start raining. As he notices what's going on in the clouds above, Viper 4991 grumbles a bit to himself, and then at the panicking civilian. "Alright, jeez, just get the hell out of here. The weatherman didn't say anything about /rain/ tonight, ugh." he grumps, signaling for the BAT to escort this person to... anywhere else, really, as he himself starts to head off toward the Starbucks. "Maybe I can get a free latte..." At the Viper's words, the pedestrian turns and takes off in the direction he'd originally come. The BAT directs its attention to the Viper, then the fleeing man, and trains its stunner on him briefly, then lets the weapon arm fall to its side. "Standing down," it says, emotionlessly. "Resuming monitor status." It goes back to its original position on the street corner and just stands there in the rain. Back in the limo, Sasha smirks in response to Astrid. "Americans are stupid and easily led by their prejudices to vote against their own best interests. Their experiment in capitalist democracy has failed and they don't even know it. They still think they're so special with their myths of exceptionalism - a 'shining beacon on the hill' - and they just can't believe that like all empires, theirs too will end. Only fitting Cobra should rise up and take its place." Even as they approach the White House he pours himself another drink, and asks with a gesture if Astrid would like a top-off before they arrive. Astrid nods and offers her near-empty glass. "Please." She begins putting papers back into her leather briefcase in careful order. "But as long as they see us...COBRA...as the two-dimensionally 'evil' entity that JOE propaganda makes of us, there's always going to be resistance. I should probably mention...on that token...that Command has offered me a promotion...and I'm thinking of taking it." Lowdown's face doesn't display the unease he feels as the Viper begins moving in their direction. He would have rather that the BAT had moved off with the civilian, but that's not the case. At least the rain is here to obscure the view, and his weapon is suppressed to prevent the load report of the weapon. He uses his throat-mic to warn the other Joes, "Got a Viper inbound..." Unless Sneak-Peek has a trick up his sleeve, he's ready to pull the trigger if the Viper tries to enter. The raindrops become more frequent, fat drops of water tumble from the sky onto sidewalks and trees as the clouds grow darker and thicker. Interrogator taps a few times on the laptop's screen and a woman's face appears on it. He says in Russian, "Natalia, I miss you. How is getting time off going?" Natalia responds, "I should be joining you in a few days, but I can't stay longer than a week." They both sigh sadly. In the dark of the coffee shop, Sneak-Peek's eyes widen as the Viper approaches his position. "Oh, no no no no no," he says under his breath, quickly checking to make sure his periscope is practically invisible. Clutching his rifle, he then retreats behind the counter, ducking down out of sight. Reaching into one of his combat pouches he extracts a small mirror with an extendable handle and uses it to peer around the edge of the counter to watch the Viper without being seen. "I see him, Lowdown," he says quietly into his throat mike. "Laying low for now." Viper 4991 heads into the Starbucks, rifle slung loosely at his side. "Hey! I want a vanilla latte. Better be on the house, too. Today's been one big disappointment after another." he barks at... well, whoever's around. There's probably an employee or two here, right? "And make it snappy!" The Starbucks is dark and appears closed. What? Don't people want hot coffee when it's dark and late, especially in the rain? What's wrong with this town, anyway? Back in the limo, Sasha tops off Astrid's drink and drains his own as the limo slows to go through White House grounds security. Putting down his glass, he extracts his Rock-Viper ID from his wallet and prepares to offer it to Viper Guards at the gate. To Astrid he smiles. "Promotion, huh? Who do you have to kill?" He laughs, although of course that might really be her next assignment. Sasha just hopes it isn't him... that might be awkward. Astrid smirks. "I don't have to kill anyone...well...not with bullets, anyway. Hopes and dreams however...I'm probably going to slash and burn like Monsanto on an acre of rainforest." Taking a sip of whiskey. "What they want me to do is take over the project monitoring from division heads and...trim the fat...when the opportunity arises. But, I will need a military advisor for some of the more dangerous installations. I was rather hoping I could prevail upon your experience...and chivalry...to take the other position they're offering... The rain begins to fall in earnest now as the sky grows darker and more gloomy by the moment. Water begins collecting in gutters as it runs down windows and pools on streets and sidewalks. Lowdown attempts to track the Viper as he moves closer, but he followed the line of buildings and is lost beneath the ledges. He hears the Cobra soldier step into the shop below, however. He can't easily get a shot at the Viper without breaking cover. He moves quickly from beneath his tarp, hooking a repelling line to his belt and securing it to a pipe on the roof. He slips over the edge, drawing his Ka-BAR as he descends the side of the building under the merciful cover of the weather. Interrogator continues his conversation with his girlfriend and they catch each other up on what has been going on in their personal lives, most of which seems to involve her family, the Kirstovs. Sneak-Peek remains behind the counter in the darkened coffee shop, mostly hoping the Viper will just give up and go away. He keeps the finger on the trigger of his rifle as he watches the Viper with his tiny mirror, but hopes this doesn't turn into a firefight -- the Joes are vastly outnumbered, and this time Sneak-Peek doesn't have MASK backup to pull his fat out of the fire. He glances upward to where he thinks Lowdown remains unseen, unaware that the sharpshooter is making his way down the building, Ka-BAR in hand. Viper 4991 was /really/ hoping this place would still have some folks doing cleanup or something, and maybe he could blackmail them into a free drink with the curfew and all, but... nah, this damned curfew has ended up bringing one more disappointment into his life! "Bah, fine. Really should've locked the door though, anybody could just come in here and steal everything... Dunno who I'm even talking to..." he grumbles, then turns around and heads back out. Sasha shows his ID, and after some rather extensive and invasive security theatre, the two Cobra are let into the White House grounds. Sasha ducks his head as the rain comes in the car window and checks his orders -- he's to report to someone codenamed Interrogator -- of whom Sasha has heard good things, at least. To Astrid, Sasha says, "Sounds like a job for each of our talents. I'd be happy to work alongside you if the opportunity arises. As much as I love mountain-fighting, acting as a tactical military advisor sounds like it has its perks." He smiles. As the security personal waves them through and Sasha rolls up his window, Astrid crosses her ankles and stretches in the limousine, laying back languid in the wide open leather seat. "It would be useful to have to there...my 'backup' as it were...when I have to tell some division chief that they need to reassign staff or their budget is being cut. But it's not just to have some dangerous...and some might say 'pretty' face hanging about when I'm making these calls. I really need someone of your military expertise to give me your opinion on what's really necessary and what is just for show." Although the conversation still appears to be light, two lovers talking about an upcoming visit from Russia, it has shifted. Interrogator says to Natalia, still in Russian, "Did you get the papers I sent you?" She laughs and says, "Yes." Then quietly she continues, "You could get in a lot of trouble for what you're planning and this time there will be nobody to help you. We're too fragmented here in Moscow and you have strikes against you with Cobra." Interrogator laughs as if the conversation is still about daily life, but it sounds a little strained." Lowdown has made it to the ground and disconnected the line. He flips his visor up... he wants to see perfectly for this. He's been doing this for a very long time. Without even thinking about it, he's behind the Viper, so close that he's walking on the Cobra's instep. As 4991 turns around, the Joe is there. Lowdown's free hand moves toward the Viper's mouth, but it's really just a backup measure. The real silencing technique is the Ka-BAR that strikes at the Viper's throat. The clouds seem intent on emptying themselves over the city as the rain falls steadily. The cool breeze has ramped up into a wind, driving the water before it like a conqueror driving its enemies and reveling in the lament of their fallen villages. The air, moist and cold, clings to the skin as the pall of the storm drapes itself across the city. Sneak-Peek intends to remain hidden until the Viper is gone, but his eyes widen as Lowdown intercepts the Viper, knife in hand. Sneak-Peek winces -- this is likely to get ugly fast. At least, for the Viper, his death should be quick and quiet. Sneak-Peek stands and starts to come around the counter, rifle in hand, ready to back up Lowdown in the unlikely event he needs it. Sneak-Peek's eyes go to the street, concerned they might be seen. Good god, it's like something out of a horror movie. With the rain pouring down in droves, all it needs is a dramatic flash of lightning as Viper 4991 turns to come face-to-face with Lowdown, who has somehow managed to sneak up on him without making a sound! There is one thing, exactly /one/ thing, that saves the Viper, and that's his poor judgment in leaving the door open with the rain outside. Just enough water has accumulated on the floor that as Lowdown goes to grab 4991's mouth, the Viper tries to back up and ends up slipping, falling flat on his bottom with the knife slicing through the air /just/ above his head as he falls. "H-help! HELP! JOES! WE HAVE JOES!" he shouts as loud as he can, scrabbling for his rifle and firing off a wild burst at Lowdown. Sasha nods, sobering up as the windows close and the limo heads into the White House grounds. "I'd be happy to lend my expertise to your success -- and to help watch your back should any of your ... clients ... become disgruntled. Knowing that you have someone who may seek revenge might stay their hand when otherwise their ire could get out of hand." Sasha turns and peers out the window as they travel towards the iconic American mansion, far enough away not to hear the sudden burst of rifle-fire. Astrid straightens in the seat as they approach the White House, as proper decorum when approaching the bastion of power in the western world would seem to be appropriate. "It's no sinecure, this job. I really do need your expertise as a former Spetsnaz and your unique talents as a man who has experienced much and survived...quite often by nothing more than his will and his wits." Lowdown takes advantage of the Viper's imbalance and moves to the side, the rifle burst going far wide of the intended target. He speaks over his shoulder, but the throat mic is what carries his voice, "Pack up. We're on the move." His goal now is to cover the other Joes' retreat. To that end, he steps back in toward the Viper, dropping one knee to pin the rifle and the other toward the Viper's throat, planning to put all his weight into an incapacitating choke. Zartan hears gunfire and comes running to assist his Cobra Comrades! He's cloaked, so that nobody can see him. Sneak-Peek's eyes widen as the Viper starts to scream and fire indiscriminately. He agrees with Lowdown -- Time to GO. Leaving Lowdown to deal with the Viper, Sneak-Peek makes a grab for his periscope, hoping it's had time to gather enough data to make this whole trip worthwhile. With a press of a button, all of the collected data is sent by encrypted burst to the Pit in New York, where it will be forwards to the main Pit in Utah. Even if the small Joe team all die now, the intel they've gathered will be safe. Rifle in one hand and periscope in the other, Sneak-Peek heads to the back office to collect Norris and then heads for the extraction point. The rain falls steadily in an unrelenting purge from sky to earth, a blanket of water which seeks to cleanse all in its path. Viper 4991 hasn't survived this long to be taken out so easily! Even if he does quite often get taken out pretty easily. But as soon as he realizes his rifle has missed, he makes the decision to let go of it and roll to the side, just barely avoiding getting pinned to the floor. "Jesus Christ, SOMEBODY GET IN HERE AND HELP ME!" he shouts again, jumping up only to dive behind the counter that Sneak-Peek was behind only moments before. Sasha smirks immodestly at Astrid's assessment of his past. "Very well," he says, as the car comes to a stop and the Elite Horseman driving it gets out to open the door of their armored limo. "I'll be --" suddenly his radio goes off, as does the driver's and probably Astrid's -- gunfire outside the White House, dangerously close. Sasha reaches into the bag at his feet, drawing a pistol. If this is the start of a full-scale invasion, Sasha will be ready. Lowdown's attempt to subdue the Viper has been... well, calamitous at best. It may be that they would have been better off waiting for the soldier to depart, but their cover may well have been blown either way. No point in dwelling on it now. He draws his suppressed sidearm and fires off a few quiet shots for cover as Sneak-Peek and Norris make their way through the back of the building. He fires a few more shots as he backs through the doorway himself. However, while the other Joes move toward the original exit, Lowdown moves silently back to the roof to recover his weapons. He's no stranger to being stranded behind enemy lines, and after the ordeal exfiltrating Angel, this should be a walk in the park. He radios through his throat mic, "Don't wait for me." He already knows these rooftops well and makes his own egress to an alternative exit under the cover of the falling rain and deepening darkness. He vows to himself that his next visit to DC will have a lot more recoil. Interrogator frowns at his radio and says to Natalia, "I have to go!" She nods in understanding and he runs for the Starbucks. "Stay here," Sasha tells Astrid. He draws out his chest piece and helmet from his satchel and slips them on, leaving the rest of his armor behind -- there's no time for the full Rock-Viper getup. He holsters his pistol and grabs his rifle, stopping to give Astrid a passionate kiss. "Stay with the limo," he repeats. "It's armored." Giving Astrid one last smirking look, he heads out into the rainy night, ready to kill anyone who dares stand up to Cobra. Viper 4991 keeps his head low as bullets ping off the walls overhead, but when the coffee shop goes silent, he peeks over the edge of the counter. "Man... Guess I should be glad it wasn't the ninja..." he grumbles, then turns around and slides back down to the floor with his back to the counter. This is gonna be a tough one to report.